Fabric-feeding mechanism.



G. J. LANDIN.

FABRIC FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29,1910.

' Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

-SHEET 1.

4 SHEETS n w. a F F L a? W O O M IMP/MW C 6 THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. FHOTOL|THO., WASHINGTON. D C.

G. J. LANDIN- PABRIG FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29,1910. 1,1 14,487, Patented 0015. 20, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inventor wzlinelsses JLand/tn.

THE NORRIS PETERS C0,. FHOT0-LI7Hn WASHINGTON, u. c,

G. J. LANDINQ FABRIG FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY29, 1910.

Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Hun

ZUzJbfl/esses I nventor Carl JLandvit/n b a M THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTO-LITHOH WASHINGTON D. c.

G. J. LANDIN;

FABRIC FEEDING MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION EILED .TULYZQ, 1910. I

Patented 0ct.20,1914.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

Inventor; 00ml JLa/ydtn,

TH E NORRIS PETERS C0,. PHOTO-LI1H0.. WASHINGTON. D. C,

UNIT-EDSTATES PATENT CARL J. LANDIN, OFVIBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR r0 cLIFron An-UmioT-Um ING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A conrona'rron orNEw JERSEY.

FABRIC-FEEDING MECHANISM.

Application filed July 29, 1910. Serial No. 574,503.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL J. LANDIN, a citizenof the United States, anda resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have" invented an Improvement in Fabric-Feeding Mechanism, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts;

This invention relates to the feeding of fabrics or other materialsin coating or other machines.

The character of the inventionmaybe best understood by reference to the following description of .an illustrative embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein: v a j Figure 1 isan-interrupted, side elevation ofa coating machine embodyingmy invention; Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1; Fig, 3, on an enlarged scale, is a plan of a feeding device used in connectionwith the machine; Fig.1

is'a side elevation of Fig. 3; Fig. 1 is a view of a detail to be referred to; Figs. 5 and 6, on an enlarged scale, are plan and end elevations respectively of portions of the feeding device shown in Figs. 3 and 1 showing the device in use in the machine;-

and Figs. 7 and 8 are plan and side elevations respectively of said device in a different position. v

' Referringto the drawings, 1 (Figs. 1 and '2) is a let-off roll'on which the fabric to be treated is previously wound. This roll may be slipped on to a rectangular shaft3 having rounded ends ournaled in open bearings 5 in brackets 7 projecting laterally from the machine frame 9. To frictionally retard the feeding of the fabric from said roll, on one end thereof theremay be secured a pulley 11 carrying a belt 13 which may be secured to a stud 15 projecting laterally from the machine frame. To vary the frictional engage ment of said belt with said pulley there may be provided an adjustable ring 17 which may be slid on said belt toward or from said pulley to vary the friction as desired.

' The fabric or material on the let-off roll may be led diagonally upward as at18 to and over a rubber coated or equivalent roll 19 (Fig. 2) on a shaft 20 journaled in bearings in the machine frame, said fabric pass-- ing under a scraper coating knife 21 (Fig. 1) having trunnions journaled in boxes 23 Specification of .Letters Patent.

' Patented adapted to slide vertically in guides 25 and ,be adjusted toward or from said roll 19 by screws 27 and hand wheels 29. I The fabric led between the roll 19 and knife 21 may receive a coating of rubber composition or other material. This material; is usually viscous and may be laid 011' Zthe fabric back of the knife '21. When the fabric is fed this material will crowd against the knifeand be spread or distributed there? by in theform of a thin coating on the fabric. Todrive the'rubber coated roll 19, fast on one end thereof is a large gear 31 meshing with a pinion 33 beneath. it fast on a main shaft 35 of the-machine, said'shaft -being'journaled in bearings 37 carried by the" Oct. 20, 1914.. i

machine frame and driven by a pulley.39f i (Fig. 2) and belt, not shown. The fabrid after having received this coating-is then led from the feeding in end of the machine rearwardly to and over the guide roller 11 (F ig'. 2) preferably largerin diameter than the 101119 and located at'a considerable disef :tanc'e from the. feeding in end of the machine, said roller being fast on a shaft 13 j ournaled in bearings in the machinef-rame. This roller is driven by a bevel gear 4515151 on said shaft meshing with a similargear 41-7 fast on a sleeve 49' which is loosely jour-v naled on a long horizontalshaft 51 journaled at its opposite ends in boss bearings 53 ca'r ried by brackets. 55 projecting laterally from the frame. Fast on the bevel pinion sleeve 49 is also mounted a friction disk 57 having a face of leather or other suitable material engaged by a similar faced disk 59 havinga hub 61 splined to the shaft 51' said disk 59 being pressed into frictional en 'gagement with the disk 57 by a helical spring 63 encircling said hub 61 and engag ing a collar 65 fast on said shaft. The" shaft 51 extends toward the feeding in end of the machine and is there drivenbyabevel pinion 67 fast on said shaft, said pinion'in turn being driven by a smaller pinion 69 fast onthe main driving shaft 35 referredto. Since the guide roller 11 is larger in diameter than the rubber coated 'roll19 the fabric will always be maintained taut,!butl any tearing or undue stretching thereof'will The fabric is led fromthe guide roller 41 downwardly and thence forwardly towardtho be prev'entedfby the frictionel disk transi:

brackets 7''? on the machine frame 9.

the machine the surface speed of the fabric will increase as the diameter of the wound material on said roll increases. In practice the take-up roll driving belt 83 may be free to slip more or less on its pulleys to prevent this variation in speed from unduly stretching, or tearing the fabric. In locating the guide roller 41 at a considerable distance from the coating-roll 19 the fabric is led a sufficient distance to permit the plastic coating thereon to dry. This is sometimes assited by heat radiators (not shown).

Heretofore, so far as I am aware, the introduction of the fabric into the machine has been a slow and crude process. This has been effected by sewing, along, introductory strip of cheap material to the end of the fabric. The end of said strip is then led manually upwardly over the rubber coated roll 19, beneath the coating knife 21 thence rearwardly to and over the guide roller 11 at the remote end of the machine; then under said roller back toward the feeding in end of the machine where it is secured to the take-up roll 71. Not only does the leading in of the fabric in this manner require a great deal of time, but also it is impossible to sew the leading strip to the fabric to be treated without causing a series of wrinkles in the fabric adjacent the seam forming the juncture thereof with said strip when said strip is tensioned as in feeding. In order that the thin coating may be properly applied it is necessary that the fabric should be absolutely smooth. This wrinkling prevents a proper application of the coating material for several feet adjacent the seam and as a result this portion of the fabric is wasted. Furthermore, it is necessary to watch the leading in strip at the guide roller 41 and manually smooth out the wrinkles which are bound to occur at this point in order that the following fabric may be smoothly guided over said roller. A similar strip, also, must be sewed at the trailing or last end of the fabric to pass through the machine in order that the end of the fabric may not trail loosely through the machine after leaving the roll 19. Here again at the juncture of the trailing strip with the fabric occurs the objectionable wrinkling of the fabric with consequent waste of aportion of the fabric at said seam due, as stated, to the inability to properly coat a wrinkled fabric.

By my invention the above and other'obj eetions to the above described crude method are overcome.

hook.

of feeding the fabric through the machine By my invention it is unnecessary to sew long, introductory and trailing strips or aprons at the ends of the fabric tobe treated but, instead thereof, I use means which I will now describe with more particular reference to Figs. 3 and 4. As herein shown this means is in the form of a pad preferably comprising three layers of suitable material stitched together, the two outer layers 85 being conveniently of canvas or other suitable material between which there maybe a layer 87 of felt or other suitable material. This pad is of a width substantially equal to-that of the fabric to be treated and is of sufiicient length to lap once or twice around the take-up roll 71 to form acushioncovering therefor, as

more fully hereinafter described. 1

One of the important features of my invention resides in the means for securing this pad to the fabric to be treated. To accomplish this, one end of said pad is provided with a hook plate 89 (Fig. 4) of metal or other suitable material which may be sewed or otherwise secured to said end, said hook plate beingadapted to receive a clamping strip .93 of metal or other suitable material for securing the end of the fabric therein. I will now describe the method of securing an end portion of the fabric to be treated to said hook 89. First, preferably the hook carrying end of the pad is folded over (Fig.

P) to bring the hook uppermost. The end portion of the fabric to be treated is then placed over said hook and the clamping strip 93 placed on said fabric at the mouth of the The strip is then thrust into said hook carrying the fabric with it. The fabric on entering the hook is thereby folded over said clamping strip in the form of a loop. The clamping strip preferably should be of sufficient width to project somewhat beyond the mouth of said hook. As a result when the hook carrying end of the pad is straightened out as shown in Fig. 4 the body of the fabric will be wrapped about the outer edge of said strip and when said pad and fabric are tensioned the fabric will tend to.

thrust said strip into said hook, causing the bight of the loop of the fabric to be gripped or pinched between the bent end of said hook and said strip and with a pressure increasing with the tension on said pad and fabric.

Preferably the fabric loop should be of suffi-.

cient extent to project beyond the free edge of the hook, so that when the body of the fabric is wrapped from the hook shank side of the clamping strip around the edge of the latter and over they free edge of the hook toward the end of the latter the free end of said loop will be carried with it and be folded around the free edge of said hook. The loop is further gripped in said hook when the fabric and pad are tensioned by the pressure of the mouth edge of the strip 1 guide roller shaft 13 referred to.

against the hook. Added resistance to withdrawal of the fabric from the hook may be had by the binding on the free end of the .fabric as it bends around the free edge of thehook. It is not necessary that the hook 91 should receive the strip 93 with a tight friction fit since the strip is securely held thereinby the clamping action described. It

is found in practice that the fabric will tear rather than become disconnected from said pad. This connection not only firmly secures the fabric to the pad, but without any wrinkles in said fabric. When it is desired to separate-the fabric from the pad the pad may be folded back as shown in Fig. 4 VVhenin this position aslight pull on the fabric will withdraw the strip 93 and the loop thereon out of said hook. To protect the fabric when woundaround said pad, as more fully hereinafter described, the intermediate layer of the pad may be extended :;takeup roller 71 and idler sprocket wheels 105" fast on a shaft 107 'journaled in boxes 109 which maybe adjusted in guides 111 to vary the tension of the sprocket chains by suitable hand screws 113. To connect the pad with the chains 97, herein said pad is provided adjacent its free end with side hooks 115 (Figs. 8 to 8) having opposed bearing portions 115 and 115 said hooks being secured to an arcuate plate 117 having an edge stitched or otherwise secured to said,

pad so that it is free to rock about the end of said pad as more fully hereinafter described. The plate 117 preferably is curved to conform to the contour of the take-up roll, its curva- .ture incidentally furnishing suflicient inherent stiffness to prevent distortion thereof. Midway between the side hooks 115 and projecting from the plate 117 is a long curved arm 1.19 terminating in a hook 121. to be re. 'ferred to. Herein said chains are provided with supplemental links 123 (Figs. 5 and 7) spaced at suitable intervals for receiving said hooks 115. The hooks 115 are inserted in said chain supplemental links 123 preferably at ia point over the roll 19 in front of the coating knife 23. This knife is then raised to permit the pad to pass between the knife and roll 19 and the machine started. After the pad has been fed sufiiciently to bring 'end of'said pad may be bent over as in Fig.

1 and the fabric or other material to be treated be secured thereto as described; although the fabric may be previously secured to said pad if desired. As soon as the pad has been fed past the knife 23, the latter is lowered into engagement with the fabric and the coating applied thereto. Owing to the evenlyv distributed bindingaction of the, hook and strip clamp on the fabric there will be no wrinkling of the fabric at its j uncture with the pad and hence'no waste of said fabric thereat. x

The continued operation ofthe machine will carry the pad and the coated fabric with it to the guide roll 41. During the upper runs of the chains the long hook arm 119 referredto and the curved plate 117 will depend downwardly from the chain substantially asshown in Fig.6 until the pad reaches the guide roll 411 at the rear end of the machine. On thehoccurrence of this event the curved plate :117 will ride up over the roll 11 and rock the hook 121 down to-..-

ward saidroller. To prevent bulging of the fabric on thepassage of the hook 121 over to engage the roller 11, the plate 117 being" heavier will berocked by gravity aboutthe end ofthe pad as a fulcrum into the posi- ,tion shown in'Fig. 8. This rocking movement will cause the hooks 115 to rock and transfer their engagement withthe' links 123 from their bearings 115 (Fig. 16) to their bearing115 (Fig. 8). As the chains continue to travel the depending plate 117 will engage the take-up roll and be rocked in a contra-clockwise direction. This movement will rock the hooks 115out of the links 123 and at the same time will rock the hook 121 toward the roll 71 into a position to be gripped by one of a number of bars 127 (Fig. 2) bridging at intervals an annular groove in said roll. Thus .it will be seen that the chains serve to introduce the fabric into the machine from the coating roll 19 to the take-up roll 71 and the feed is then automatically transferred from the chains to the take-up roll. It will be recalled that the pad is composed of a layer of felt between two layers ofcanvas and thereby presents sufli- ,cient substance to form a smooth cushion surface on said roll'and permits the fabric to be wound thereon without wrinkles orcreasing such as might scrape the coating from the fabric or otherwise mutilate the the hook. end thereof upon the roll 19, the 1 same. After the entire length of the sheet of fabric has been coated a trailing pad similar to that described, having been previously secured to the unwound end of the fabric on the let-off roll, will be hooked into the chain in a manner similar to that described for the leading pad, and will follow the fabric through the machine and keep the latter properly positioned until completely wound on the take-up roll. WVhen the fabric is '0 completely wound on the take-up roll one end of the take-up roll shaft may be lifted from its bearing and the roller removed and be replaced by an empty roller ready for a fresh operation. Preferably the trailing pad 5"is made similar to the leading-in pad, since frequently it is desirable to apply several coats to the same fabric. In such case the trailing pad is last wound on the take-up roll and when the latter is removed and g placed in the position of the take-up roll said trailing pad will be in readiness to constitute the leading-in pad for'the next coating operation. If but one coat is de sired the trailing pad would be unnecessary and the hooks 115 could be directly applied to the hook plate 89 and when insertedin the chain links would be adequate to conduct the trailing end of the fabric from the roll I 1.9 to the take up roll 71. By my inventionto start the fabric into the machine it is merely necessary to secure the pad to the fabric by the expeditious hook and clamp strip connection and then hook the pad to the chains. Further attention 351% the part of the operative to the feeding of the fabric is unnecessary until the fabric is completely wound on the. take-up roll. As a result there is effecteda great saving in time and materials as comparedv with the 40 "crude methods previously used.

' While the invention is illustrated herein in connection with a coating machine, it will be understood that its field of application is not limited thereto but that it may be readily applied to a variety of other machines.

Having described one embodiment of my invention without limiting myself thereto,- what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

' 1. In 'a machine of the class described, the combination of take-up means for drawing material through the machine; introductory feeding means for leading the material to 56 said take-upmeans; means to connect said material to said feeding means; and means automatically to transfer the lead of the material from said feeding means to said take-up means. i

60 2. In a machine of the class described, the combination of take-up means for drawing material through the machine; introductory feeding means for conducting the material to said take-up means; leading meansse-.

cured to said material having provision for connecting the same With said feeding means; and means cooperating with said take-up means automatically to disconnect said leading means from said material and connect the latter to said take-up means.

3. In a machine of the class-described, the combination of take-up means for drawing material through the machine; a sprocket chain for leading the material to said take- 'up means; supplemental links on said chain;

and a hook secured to said material to connect the same to one of said supplemental links.

4. Ina machine of the class described, the

feeding means for leading the material. to

said take-up means; a pad det'achably secured to said material; side hooks on said pad for engagement with said feeding means; and means secured to said pad cooperating with said take-up means automatically to Withdraw said hooks from engagement with said feeding means.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of take-up means for drawing material through the machine; introductory feeding meansfor leading the material to said take-up means; means secured to said material and having a hook thereon for de. tachable engagement with said feeding means; a second hook on said feeding means; and means cooperating with said take-up means automatically to disconnect said hook from said feeding means and connect said other hook to said take-up means whereby to transfer the feed from said feeding means to said. take-up means.

6. In a machine of the class described, the

combination of take-up means for drawing material through the machine; introductory feeding means for leading the material to said take-up means; means to connect said material to said feeding means; means to connect said material to said take-up means; and means to disengage the first mentioned connecting means from said feeding means and connect the second mentioned connecting means to said take-up means.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination of take-up means for drawing material through the machine; introductory feeding means for leading the material to said take-up means; means to connect said material to said feeding means; means to connect said material to said take-u p means; and an 'arcuate plate cooperating with said take-up means automatically to disconnect said first mentioned connecting means from said feeding means and connect said second mentioned connecting means to said take-up means.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination of take-up means for drawing material through the machine; introductory feedin means for leading the material to said ta :e-up means; a hook secured to said material having a plurality of bearing portionsyand means cooperating with said hook automatically to transfer the pull from one to the other of said bearing portions.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination of take-upmeans for drawin material through the machine; a guide ro l'er; introductory feeding means for leading the material over said guide roller to said take-up means; a hook secured to said. material and adapted to be connected to said feeding means, said hook having a plurality of bearing portions; and means for shifting the pull from one to another of said hearing portions according to the direction of the feed.

10. In a machine of the class described, the combination of take-up and let-off rolls;

a guide roller interposed therebetween; in-

troductory feeding means for leading the material from sald gulde roller to said takeup roll; means secured to said material adapted to be connected to said feeding means; a take-up roll engaging hook and plate secured to said material adapted to depend from said feeding means in the run of the latter to said guide roller and adapted to be rocked by gravity, in the run of said feeding means from said guide roller to said take-up roll, whereby on reaching the latter said plate will be in a position to engage said roller and rock said hook into engagement therewith and disconnect the lead from said feeding means.

11. In a machine of the class described, c

Oopie: of this patent may be obtained the combination of a let-oif roll; a take-up roll; a roll interposed therebetween; a guide; flexible transmission means extending from roll; apad for connection with an end of the fabric on said let-01f roll; and means on said pad for connection with said trans mission means to lead the fabric over the roll to said guide thence to the take-up roll; and means on said pad automatically to dissaid roll, over said guide to said take-up connect the apron from said transmission means and connect the same to the take-up roll.

13. In a machine of the class described,

the combination of transmission means for conducting material in the machine; and

means having provision for detachable con nection with sald material; a plate secured to said means and a hook on said plate for,

detachable connection with said transmission means.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CARL J. LANDIN. Witnesses: HENRY T. WILLIAMS, EVERETT S. EMERY.

Washington, D. 0.

12. In a machine of the class described,v 

